A sprinkling of weekend specials

One real bargain is Taca’s Houston-to-San Salvador special, which comes to $198 with taxes and fees. Normally the round-trip fare is twice to three times that amount.

Travel times are restricted. As of right now, that fare is available starting Thursday. The return can be through Monday.

Continental has a few weekend specials as well. Tulsa, Austin and Gulfport are the choices. Fly to Tulsa, for example, on Saturday and return Monday and it will set you back only $137. Austin and Gulfport are about the same price.

Pricier but a decent value is US Airways’ e-Saver special to Tel Aviv, at $969 round trip including taxes and fees, with only a three-day advance purchase. That example is for Nov. 22-Dec. 1. The other e-Saver that US Airways is offering is to Nassau, Bahamas, which comes to $573 round trip with taxes and fees.

Other carriers, such as United, which often has dozens of weekend specials from Houston, and Delta and American, are offering none this weekend as the Thanksgiving travel period gets under way.